Democracy as Fetish

Democracy as Fetish, Volume 1, is a multidisciplinary study that examines the gap between democratic rhetoric and political practice. Ralph Cintron analyzes how the language of democracy creates unattainable desires for justice, global wealth, and social order. This work of political science and critical theory explores the fascination both the left and right hold for democratic ideals, arguing that the structures required for governance are inherently rooted in inequality and violence.

Drawing on twenty years of ethnographic research in Chicago, the author illustrates how political ideologies clash with the reality of the disenfranchised. This text blends communication studies, rhetoric, and philosophy to challenge traditional views on political movements. By analyzing the influence of oligarchy on democratic politics, Democracy as Fetish provides a rigorous academic critique suited for those studying history and theory within the realm of political science.